🥕
Carrot
Nantes
Root VegetablesDirect Sow
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
Every 5 days
🌱
Germination
14 days
🕐
Days to harvest
70 days
📏
Planting depth
0.25 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
8 inches
When to Plant
Direct sow in early spring
Growing Guide
Soil: loose, sandy loam · pH 6.0–6.8
Deep, loose, stone-free sandy loam is essential — carrots fork in compacted or rocky soil. Work soil to 12 inches deep. Never add fresh manure (causes forking and hairy roots). Mix in sharp sand if soil is clay-heavy. Raised beds with a custom mix of compost, topsoil, and sand are ideal.
- Sow seeds ¼ inch deep directly — carrots transplant very poorly
- Mix seeds with dry sand for even spacing
- Keep soil consistently moist for the 14–21 days germination takes — never let it crust over
- Thin ruthlessly to 3–4 inches apart once seedlings reach 2 inches tall — crowded carrots stay tiny
- Sow succession plantings every 3 weeks for continuous harvest from July through October
Care
💧 Water every 5 days
📐 Spacing: 3 inches apart · 8 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 4
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 70 days with a harvest window of 30 days.
- Harvest when shoulders are ¾–1 inch in diameter at soil surface
- Loosen soil with a fork before pulling to avoid snapping tops off
- Flavor improves markedly after a light frost — leave roots in ground as late as possible
- Nantes are ready in 65–75 days; taste a small one to judge sweetness
Storage
Remove tops immediately after harvest to prevent wilting. Store in damp sand or sealed bags with damp paper towels in the refrigerator crisper. Properly stored, carrots keep 4–6 months at near-freezing temperatures.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
onionleeklettuce
Keep away from:
dill
Essential Tools
- Broadfork or garden fork (harvest without breaking)
- Soil sieve or riddle (remove stones before sowing)
- Row cover (carrot rust fly protection)
Pests & Diseases
- Carrot rust fly (Psila rosae): tunnels in roots — use row covers from sowing through harvest; avoid planting near parsley, dill, or celery which attract the same fly
- Leaf blight (Alternaria dauci): brown spots on leaves in wet weather — rotate beds annually
- Wireworm: small entry holes at crown — avoid following sod/lawn areas